Device for producing excited and/or ionized particles in a plasma

Abstract

A device for generating excited and/or ionized particles in a plasma made of a process gas, having an inner chamber, which is implemented as cylindrical and in which a plasma zone may be generated, a coaxial internal conductor, a coaxial external conductor, an inlet, using which process gas may be supplied into the inner chamber, and an outlet using which process gas may be discharged from the inner chamber, wherein the coaxial internal conductor at least partially has a curved shape.

1 . A device for generating excited and/or ionized particles in a plasma made of a process gas, comprising: 
 an inner chamber which is implemented as cylindrical and in which a plasma zone may be generated;    a coaxial internal conductor;    a coaxial external conductor;    an inlet, using which process gas may be supplied into the inner chamber; and    an outlet, using which process gas may be discharged from the inner chamber, wherein the coaxial internal conductor at least partially has a curved shape.    
   
   
       2 . A device for generating excited and/or ionized particles in a plasma made of a process gas, comprising: 
 an inner chamber, which is implemented as cylindrical and in which a plasma zone may be generated;    a coaxial internal conductor;    a coaxial external conductor;    an inlet, using which process gas may be supplied into the inner chamber; and    an outlet using which process gas may be discharged from the inner chamber, wherein the coaxial internal conductor is connected to an inner chamber external conductor, which encloses the inner chamber, and the coaxial internal conductor is situated eccentrically to the central axis of the inner chamber and inner chamber external conductor.    
   
   
       3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the coaxial internal conductor is implemented as coiled at one end.  
   
   
       4 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the coaxial internal conductor is implemented as coiled in its longitudinal direction in the central area.  
   
   
       5 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the coaxial internal conductor is enclosed by an insulator.  
   
   
       6 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the coaxial internal conductor is implemented as U-shaped and as coiled on one of its U-legs in its longitudinal direction in the middle area.  
   
   
       7 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein the coaxial external conductor is situated coaxially around the coaxial internal conductor along the other U-leg of the U-shaped coaxial internal conductor.  
   
   
       8 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein the U-shaped coaxial internal conductor is oriented in such a way that an axis which runs in the width direction of the coaxial internal conductor is perpendicular to a radial axis of the cylindrical inner chamber.  
   
   
       9 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein an additional coaxial external conductor is situated coaxially around the coaxial internal conductor at the end of the one U-leg of the coaxial internal conductor.  
   
   
       10 . The device according to  claim 9 , wherein the coaxial internal conductor is enclosed by an insulator, which is implemented as U-shaped.  
   
   
       11 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the coaxial internal conductor is implemented to accommodate a coolant.  
   
   
       12 . The device according to  claim 4 , wherein the coaxial internal conductor has a coolant inlet on one end and a coolant outlet on the other end.  
   
   
       13 . The device according to  claim 12 , wherein the coaxial internal conductor has a wave trap at one end at the coolant inlet for supplying coolant.  
   
   
       14 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the coaxial external conductor is connected to an inner chamber external conductor, which encloses the inner chamber.  
   
   
       15 . The device according to  claim 13 , wherein the inner chamber external conductor is provided with an insulator.  
   
   
       16 . The device according to  claim 14 , wherein the insulator is oriented toward the inner chamber.  
   
   
       17 . The device according to  claim 13 , wherein the inner chamber external conductor is implemented as net-like.  
   
   
       18 . The device according to  claim 14 , wherein the insulator for the inner chamber external conductor and the insulator for the coaxial internal conductor are implemented in one piece.  
   
   
       19 . The device according to  claim 14 , wherein the insulator for the inner chamber external conductor does not contact the insulator for the coaxial internal conductor.  
   
   
       20 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner chamber is enclosed by a heating coil using which the inner chamber and workpieces located therein are heatable.  
   
   
       21 . The device according to  claim 19 , wherein the heating coil and the inner chamber are enclosed by a housing.  
   
   
       22 . The device according to  claim 20 , wherein the housing and an inner chamber external conductor, which is connected to the coaxial external conductor and encloses the inner chamber, are in one piece.  
   
   
       23 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein a rotation device is provided, using which workpieces are movable by rotation in the inner chamber.  
   
   
       24 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner chamber is provided with a door so that workpieces may be moved into or out of the inner chamber.  
   
   
       25 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein a gas inlet is provided in the inner chamber for flushing an area of the insulator for the coaxial internal conductor.  
   
   
       26 . The device according to  claim 25 , wherein the gas inlet is implemented as tubular for the gas supply into the inner chamber, and the gas inlet discharges into a U-shaped profile, whose legs are open toward the insulators.  
   
   
       27 . The device according to  claim 25 , wherein the gas inlet discharges into a U-shaped profile, whose legs are open toward the insulator.  
   
   
       28 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein an additional insulator is provided around the insulator of the coaxial internal conductor.